The last part of our hike brought us across the island from Dungeness Beach back to Sea Camp, passing through the maritime forest. Even with a wider lens, I felt like it was impossible to do justice to the size and intricate beauty of these trees.
Live oaks, moss, and saw palmetto - some of the key elements of maritime forest
In some places, the tree branches almost reminded me of coral formations.
Normally I prefer not to have people in my nature photos, but this gives some sense of scale
To me this type of forest has a prehistoric feeling to it. We all kept saying how it reminded of us Jurassic Park. When it was quiet, it felt like a velociraptor might leap out at us any moment. :)
Resurrection ferns
A lot of the trees lean to one side, and apparently this is a result of something called salt pruning. It has to do with the direction the wind usually blows and how the tree adapts to it.
All the pictures are quite beautiful and lively. As is the case with the tropical forest, it's full of life. Is it a kind of moss hanging from the branch of trees? I really got shocked with picture #14. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! I could hardly believe the size and shape of the tree in #14, and there were several others just like it all in a row together. Just amazing!
For the moss, yes and no. People call it "Spanish moss," but it is technically not moss, but an epiphytic flowering plant (so it grows similar to how some orchids grow, by attaching to the tree without harming it like a parasite).